Lots of reloading press snobs in the shooting community and many of them will trash Lee products but I have 3 of their older presses as well as most of my reloading dies and I have no complaints. I'd personally buy the new 6000 if I didn't already have what I have.

 

I have never tried one. I use the Hornady LNL AP and have a single stage Hornady also. It would probably be fine for pistol rounds at least. I would read the reviews and see if there are any problems with it.

 

Lee products work. I like their dies and brass prep equipment. I'm considering their bullet size dies.

I have owned their presses, and used them without problems.

I would say go ahead and buy the 6000. If you like it, you're ahead of the game. If it isn't your cup of tea, sell it and buy something else. The Lee unit will teach you what to look for on your next machine, if you need a next one.

I currently have and RCBS single stage, have owned a Rockchucker in the past. Also, I have a Hornady LnL progressive.

The progressive press took a while to learn to use efficiently. Not that I didn't understand it, but it takes a while to learn its idiosyncrasies and adjustments. A progressive is a different animal. You have to learn its likes, dislikes, moods, rhythms, etc. Many more things to get out of sync, and out of adjustment.

Good luck.

 

Lee makes good products and this press seems to get favorable reviews. If you are new to reloading you may want to consider starting with a single stage press to learn the process. Progressive presses are great for volume loading but the learning curve is a bit steeper.

 

Years ago a family member wanted me to help him get started into reloading. I, like you, recommended starting with a single stage press and even loaned him an extra Lee single stage press that I had. Shortly afterwards, he went out and bought a brand new Dillon 650 progressive press (I believe they no longer offer that model) and at that time their middle of the road progressives were much more expensive than they are now. Some guys just gotta have the biggest and the best to start out with, I'm telling ya.

I used to do a small amount of volume pistol shooting at local matches and wanted to try a progressive to see if I liked the process as much, or better, than the turret press I was using. Not long after buying an inexpensive progressive, I went back to the turret because there were just too many things going on at one time with the progressive to make it useful (or safe) to me. I even got my 1st, and only, squib load using a progressive.

 

Im not new to reloading by any means, but am starting over lol. I started reloading over 30yrs ago, on an RCBS single stage for my 7Mag and 356Win. Lost all my reloading equipment (loooong story lol) and havent had the need to reload, till now. Ive done a lot of reading about the 6 Pack Pro 6000, and watched a lot of videos both from Ultimate Reloader (great Youtube channel BTW) and individuals who have them. I was just wondering if anyone here had any first hand experience with it, good or bad. Like I said, probably go with that for my straight walls... 9MM, 40, 45, 357Mag, 44Mag and 450 Bushmaster. Then go with a good single stage, or Lyman turret, for my necked rifle cartridges.... 30-30, 356Win, 7Mag, 300RUM

 

Im not new to reloading by any means, but am starting over lol. I started reloading over 30yrs ago, on an RCBS single stage for my 7Mag and 356Win. Lost all my reloading equipment (loooong story lol) and havent had the need to reload, till now. Ive done a lot of reading about the 6 Pack Pro 6000, and watched a lot of videos both from Ultimate Reloader (great Youtube channel BTW) and individuals who have them. I was just wondering if anyone here had any first hand experience with it, good or bad. Like I said, probably go with that for my straight walls... 9MM, 40, 45, 357Mag, 44Mag and 450 Bushmaster. Then go with a good single stage, or Lyman turret, for my necked rifle cartridges.... 30-30, 356Win, 7Mag, 300RUM

Just FYI, Guy Miner on Ultimate Reloader is a member here too.

 

I started with a Lyman turret press but as soon as Dillon came out with his first progressive, I purchased one and never looked back. It may be my manufacturing back ground but you couldn't pay me to reload on a single stage press.

Padraig

 

I welcome other perspectives because mine may be off base, but I personally haven't felt much need for a progressive since virtually all my reloading is with rifle calibers from 7mm-08 through 416RM and prefer using single stage press and a more exacting process. Sounds like the OP is like that, too. If I was focused on quantity within reasonable bounds of quality, e.g., loading smaller straight-walled handgun rounds, then no doubt I'd find a progressive more attractive.

 

Yes sir, that exactly my line of reasoning Years ago when reloading, I didnt trust powder throwers. While still not exact, they are much better, and close enough for my straight wall cartridges. I dont know if youre familiar with GRT, but I try to keep the loads I work up, at the bottom of the 25% warning line for the straight walls. Maybe... creep up into that section slightly. That way if a charge is 1 or 2 tenths of a grain off from the powder thrower on the progressive press, Im still nowhere near max pressures. On my necked rifle cartridges, I do want them more precise, different loader, with manually weighed charges. Even at that (now that I think about it) theres nothing stopping a guy from removing the powder thrower, and manually weighing his charges on the progressive

 

I still use a balance beam to weigh charges. It never failed me due to electrical variances. The only it ever lost zero was if I bump it.

I have found the Dillon powder measures to be very accurate with my pistol powders. Maybe they benefit from the bumping around the 550 gives them. I had the LEE measure on my first press that used what pistol cylinders. When I transitioned to them from my old single stage I had to change loads a few tenths of a grain. The old Ideal powder measure has the little hammer gizmo to flip. I can't remember if you are supposed to flip it before or after so I do both. It and my new Lyman are very accurate.

My brother critized me for using progressive loaders but he used MEC shotgun loaders LOL.

 

Here's a video of my six pack loading 45 ACP. Since this video I have 3d printed a case feeder and it's working very well so far. I plan on making an updated video soon .

 

That looks pretty slick. Each progressive has it's own quirks. I like the auto advance my Dillon 550 does not have. I am too heavily invested in my 550 to go to the 650-750 at this point. With 6 stations why aren't you seating in a seperate op?

 

I own and use a pro 6000 I got about a year and a half ago for a good deal, and I love it. I have not used it for anything but pistol. So far I have loaded 45 auto .380 auto and 9mm luger on it and once everything is set up, I can load up a couple hundred rounds in minutes. I see no reason why it would not load 444 the same. I use my Dillon for most rifle cartridges, but I plan on trying some 223 or 762x39 just to see how it goes, but that is later down the road. Like I said I see no reason why it would not load 444 or any other rifle or pistol cartridge, however most large rifle cartridges like the 444 you are not loading 2 or 3 hundred of them at once. The reason i bought mine is for putting out large numbers of pistol cartridges namely 9mm and 380. It is a learning experience at first if you have never used a progressive press before on setting it up to work correctly, but once you get it set up and get used to it it is great. There are a couple of guys on youtube and rumble that go through the set up procedure. 76highboy is one of the best ones to watch. He goes through the unboxing all the way to reloading 9mm and 45 auto.